Plight Of The Antarctic Penguins

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Two King Penguins and one Gentoo Penguin taking a walk (Photo Credit: By Liam Quinn from Canada via Wikipedia commons.

The fascinating documentary "March of the Penguins" touched on some of the issues faced by Emperor Penguins, due to global warming. Now scientists are predicting even more dire consequences if some preventive measures are not taken soon.

A recent report warns that the four species of penguins that breed on the Antarctic Continent - Emperor, Chinstrap, Adelie, and Gentoo - are in danger of extinction, because the melting ice in the Antarctic is taking away precious ground on which they raise their young and from which they obtain their food supply.

Colonies of the Emperor Penguins have been reduced by almost half over the past fifty years. Warmer winter temperatures and stronger winds have forced the penguins to raise their little one on thinner ice. As the ice breaks, chicks and eggs, not ready to survive on their own are being blown away.

The Adelie species is also suffering from the global warming phenomenon and has seen it's colonies reduced by almost sixty percent in the last 25 years. Their issue is slightly different. This species requires land that is free of snow and ice to bring up its young ones. Only two percent of the Antarctica is ice-free. With the temperatures getting warmer, the moisture in the air is resulting in more frequent and heavier snowfalls. This is making it hard for the Adelie penguins to survive.

The Chinstrap and Gentoo species are both suffering from lack of Krill (tiny shrimp-like fish), which thrives in sea ice (ice that forms from sea water). A combination of the ice melting and over-fishing in the Antarctic has led to a shortage of food for both these species.

The environmental organization is hoping that their warnings will be heard and stronger measures taken to stop the alarming consequences of global warming, which will hopefully help save these gorgeous animals from extinction.

Sources: worldwildlife.org, wikipedia.com

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132 Comments
  • FarisUalmost 11 years
    The why is the emporer penguin an endangered species
    • belawong
      belawongalmost 11 years
      If an organization like the elephant orphanage in Kenya, Africa, was created for the penguins in Antarctica, we could save them from going extinct. People just need to care enough about the problems going on around them and do something!
      • Shayla Salmost 11 years
        I hope that one day we will be able to stop global warming and save the animals in Antarctica!
        • Jacob Franklin almost 11 years
          if we wouldnt worry about electronics maybe we should help the environment and the organisms living in it
          • Camila.Dalmost 11 years
            what can we do to help the penguins from global warming.
            • Bilal M.almost 11 years
              Its interesting that we can prevent easy stuff that humans started but most are to ignorant to actually be inform or help with the problem.
              • Josuehalmost 11 years
                I believe it has been estimated that if we were to stop any more pollutants from reaching or atmosphere at this second, it would probably take a couple centuries to reverse the effects of global warming
                • Raymond YUlfoalmost 11 years
                  I wonder if we can fix global warming
                • Robbie 6balmost 11 years
                  That's neat
                  • 246957
                    246957about 11 years
                    that penguin was.......so cute